A World apart
by kykkio
Summary: Ichigo stepped forwards...and she took a step back. Was she...was she afraid of him?. Ichiruki
1. Side A

_Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach_

"What the HELL are you waiting for Ichigo? FINISH IT OFF!"

Ichigo half- looked at her annoyed. "What do YOU think I'm doing!?"

He grabbed the sword tightly looking at the Hollow again. Inoue, Ishida, Chad, Rukia and himself were returning home after the school when suddenly three big hollows had appeared in the middle of nowhere. Inoue, Ishida and Chad were dealing with one and he and Rukia with the other two, luckily one was quite small.

"I've got any clue!" Rukia retorted. "Are you dancing with each other? FOCUS!!" Her back was against his, a foot apart, her blue eyes fixed on the hollow in front of her.

Ichigo glared at her opening his mouth. That was the moment the big hollow chose to attack.

He swore under his breath and dived. As he ducked he remembered that Rukia was behind him. "RUKIA!" he turned in time to see her jumping sideways, the Hollow hadn't touched her but her sword was launched away. She was landing on the floor when the small hollow darted onto her, she rolled and stood up gasping and clutching her hand.

"Dammit!" Ichigo started running towards her.

"Ichigo! Look up!" Rukia yelled.

He raised his sword in time to stop the hand of the big one. He looked sidewaysat her, his jaw clenched, _Is she protecting me again? She should take care of herself! It was my fault!, _he groaned. He noticed the little hollow walking towards Rukia. He didn't doubt, with one movement he puts his own Hollow mask onto his face.

"GO TO HELL, IF YOU CAN" he roared. With one movement he smashed the big Hollow and jumped towards the little one, a trace of hatred in his eyes now coal black. The little hollow launched against him, he smirked and raised his zanpakuto… one second later all was over.

He laughed once and turned to see if Rukia was ok. She was looking in his direction, her face tense, her eyes wide open in shock. He turned fast again, his zanpakuto ready, there wasn't anybody. He could not hear the battle with the other hollow and he noticed the reiatsu of his three friends running towards him. He faced Rukia again, her expression had not changed, her hands now onto her throat she seemed to be choking.

"Rukia?" he asked doubtful. He took a step forwards…and she steeped back. He looked confused into his deep blue eyes: they were wide open with an intense expression of fear. _She can't…is she afraid of me?_ He couldn't take his eyes away from her…

"Kurosaki!!"

"Kurosaki-kun, Kuchiki-san, are you ok?"

"Ahh… Yes… yes, we are" he turned to see their friends running towards them.

"Kurosaki-kun. Could you take that mask off? It's scaring me" Orihime asked nervously.

"Oh, yes, sorry, I forget. And the other Hollow?" he asked distractedly, leading a hand to his mask and pulling suddenly, he blinked twice by the intense light of the moon reflected onto his again amber eyes.

"Just run away. We almost got it" Ishida answered calmly. "How about you, Kuchiki, are you ok?"

Ichigo turned slowly, he was not sure what he was going to see. Rukia was picking her sword and keeping it again. "Of course I am" she answered with her deep voice, avoiding to look at them, at him. _Is her hand shaking?_

"Ichigo" he winced when Chad spoke "Should we run after the other?"

"Ehh. No, who knows where it is? Could you two take Inoue home? I don't want her near a Hollow or an Arrancar anymore." he waved one hand, he was not paying attention, in fact he was looking at Rukia who seemed not wanting to be part of the conversation.

"I go home. See you at school"

She left without a last look, letting a stunned Ichigo behind her.

* * *

She had been weird last night, he could tell. All the day had been weird to tell the truth. Ichigo scratched his head remembering and looked to the big clock of the kitchen, it was nearly 3 o'clock in the morning. Rukia was late. Again. He could swear she was avoiding him. This morning when he woke up and asked why Rukia wasn't there for breakfast, Yuzu told him that she had left to the school soon but when he arrived to their class she wasn't there. He sat impatiently waiting to talk to her but she didn't come until the last hour, a few seconds before the teacher did, so he had any chance. He stared at her, then frowned. What the hell was going on? he could swear she was not there. She sat just next to him, a bit apart, a world apart. He still remembered her face last night, her eyes opened in shock, her hands trembling against her throat, the…_the fear I saw in her eyes_….The bell rang and he stood up quickly. Fucking Rukia, he was going to ask her, he was going to force her to tell…

"Ichigo"

"Mm?" he winced when Rukia spoke. She was still not looking at him.

"I'm going to supper with Inoue, don't wait for me outside"

"Ok, I…"but she left quickly not giving him time to answer. He just kept looking at her when she went outside, and continued looking when all the class left, letting him alone with the same stunned face of last night.

It was 3 o'clock in the morning now and Ichigo was sitting in the kitchen, a glass of water in his hand. He was not worried of course…just surprised, he looked at the clock for the tenth time in the last five minutes, she was really late. He scratched his head again, he was feed up with this situation, she was going to tell him what was going on. He scowled when he heard the door, he stood up.

"RUKIA!!"

"UAHHH" she suppressed a shout. She was in front of him, her blue wide eyes open in surprise, both hands onto her mouth. He suppressed a smirk.

"Moron! You scared me, you… moron!"

"Where were you? It's three o'clock in the morning! Baka!" he almost felt relieved when she called him moron, almost.

"A couple of Hollows, nothing important" she said leading to the stairs, her back to him.

"Hollows? Why didn't you call me? I…"

"Not necessary. I'm a Shinigami, Ichigo. I can deal with it" her deep voice was calm. She stepped once to the stairs and then slowly turned to him, her gaze at the floor "I don't need…I don't want you to protect me Ichigo"

He looked down, his amber eyes trying to meet her blue ones, trying to guess, but the floor seemed to be more interesting for her. "Thank you for protecting me in the past but now I don't need you" she hold his eyes for a few seconds and went upstairs to Yuzu and Karin's bedroom. "Good Night" she murmured.

Ichigo felt like she had slapped him. He was there for a whole minute looking at the place where Rukia had stayed, his mind blank. At last he roared. _Ok, she didn't need…she didn't WANT me to protect her. Fine. Of course Miss I don't need you. Fine._ He stamped upstairs and launched onto his bed. He rolled facing the wall. _Of course with your powers back and with your brother and Renji on your side you don't need me. I don't DAMN CARE._

He rolled again looking at the ceiling. He remembered her surprise…no, her fear. She seemed to see him for the first time…the first time….he scowled. Was it something to do with his Hollow mask? but Rukia knew already! didn't she tell him to fight the Hollow inside? to protect his friends? to be stronger?

He rolled again restlessly facing the wall, and frowned again, if he wasn't worried before, he was now. What was going on with Rukia?

* * *

"Rukia-chan, are you ok?" Yuzu asked sweetly. "You look tired. Problems at school?"

Ichigo raised and eyebrow. They were in the kitchen; he was making a sandwich for himself while Yuzu fumbled for something inside a basket.

"Mmm? No, no…" she looked at her now worried face. "ehh, yes a bit… I'm a little tired lately"

"Of course, you almost don't sleep, have you seen your face?" Karin added opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle, she threw it carelessly into the basket. "Ugly nightmares,uhh?"

Ichigo's eyes flickered towards her, she was flushing, a sad look darkening her pale face. He turned again to the stove listening with attention.

"CHIIIIIIIllllllldren!!" Isshin shouted making all of them gasp "ready for a fantastic picnic day? We can swim, play cards, eat AND… see the girls in their nice swimsuits!!"

Karin grabbed the basket and murmured something like God give me patience, because if you give me strength…

"Third daughter, do you want to come with us?"

Ichigo saw her eyes flashing. "No, sorry. I have to do lots of homework. Next time" she said with the fake high pitched voice she used at school.

"You scared her old man" Karin murmured

"Ohhh! Masaki why our children are so cruel with his poor old father??" he cried on the shoulder of Yuzu who patted his back patiently. "Ok. You can stay here with Ichigo. That boring soon of mine, I'm soooooo ashamed of him!!" he tried to punch Ichigo but he was faster and hit him with a saucer.

"Could YOU stop doing that? You will hurt yourself" he said scowling. He turned to stare at Rukia, she was looking directly into his eyes with an odd expression. He hold her gaze, she scowled and tighten her jaw, he frowned.

"What's that a contest?" "Be nice to Rukia badson" Isshin added before breaking the eye contact with a punch into Ichigo's face.

"AHHHHGGGGGGG" he roared but they were gone.

He stared at Rukia and she stared back, an odd silence between them. _It has never been this way with her._

"I go upstairs" "lots of things to do" she added quickly going to her bedroom.

He didn't say a thing this time, he just scowled at her and shoved his hands in his pockets while she was leaving. He waited for a whole minute, his lips firmly pressed, a hard determination into his eyes. He was now definitively pissed off. He jumped the stairs to the upper floor; Rukia was fumbling in Yuzu's closet picking her things at random and stuffing them into a bag.

"Are you going to let a note this time or it's not necessary?" he burst.

She froze and slowly turned to him. This time she was looking into his eyes, amber trapped in blue.

"I think… it's time to return, for me. As Aizen has not done anything recently…"

"You mean apart of kidnapping Orihime and almost killing us a couple of weeks ago?" his voice was quiet. He was restrained himself very hard.

"I'm of no use here. I will be more useful in Soul Society" she turned and continued searching into the closet.

"Who are you protecting now? Me…or yourself?" his voice was now racing, he could feel the rage in his own words. She didn't seem to notice him and continued searching.

With a roar of anger he grabbed her shoulders forcing her to look at him and she gasped in surprise. He shook her shoulders softly. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON, RUKIA!! IF YOU DON'T TELL ME I CANNOT…"

"DON'T YOU DARE TO TOUCH ME!!" she shouted pushing him hard. He fell on the floor looking up into her eyes in surprise. She was rigid, trembling, her fists firmly closed, her face ghostly white, pure rage into her eyes.

"Ruk—"

"I wanted to do it the most softly possible" her voice was pure ice as she looked directly into his amber eyes, her face not giving anything away. "You're dangerous, maybe you don't know it yet but it will be best for all that you don't…you don't go on".

He stared at her blankly, his eyes wide open, he didn't feel anything…yet. He tried to talk twice. At last he leant his back against the wall, scratching his head, lack for words. He let his hand fall on the floor, he clenched a fist once.

"It's ok" he murmured, feeling his throat completely dry, he searched into his memory "if you have decided…that I should stay behind…I think… it's ok" he looked up into her face again, there were not exactly the same words of that time but the meaning was the same, then looked down, at his fist.

_I__s that the end? _, rainy clouds upon him again. _Curious, I forgot how it felt._

He tried to stand up but he couldn't. Something was pinning him against the wall, Rukia had landed on the top of him moaning.

"Please Ichigo, please… don't die, please" he looked stunned at her, her voice was pleading. "Please Ichigo… please…."

He could feel her warm tears onto his skin, her tiny hands grabbing his t-shirt with force. "please Ichigo… please…. don't…don't make me kill you!" she cried loudly hiding her face against his chest.

Ichigo stiffened. He didn't know what to do, or what to think. He looked down at her, he couldn't see her face, but he could feel her through his skin. At last he wrapped his arms around her waist, his mind racing.

"I promise Rukia, Nobody will hurt you"

_No__body, including myself._


	2. Side B

_I do not own Bleach._

_This is not exactly a 2nd chapter. When I wrote the first one, I was wondering what were Rukia feelings, what does she think, __and I couldn't avoid to write this one. So, for everybody_ _who is as curious as me...enjoy_

**Side B**

"What the HELL are you waiting for Ichigo? FINISH IT OFF!"

Rukia felt his gaze upon her. "What do YOU think I'm doing!?" he groaned.

She clenched her jaw and looked at the small Hollow in front of her. She could feel the reiatsu of Inoue, Ishida and Chad fighting with another one but she couldn't see them, they seemed to be alright though.

"I've got any clue!" Rukia retorted. "Are you dancing with each other? FOCUS!!"

Her back was against Ichigo who was dealing with a big Hollow, knowing him he probably would be more worried for the other three than for his fight. Rukia sighed _moron._

"RUKIA!" she turned when she heard Ichigo's shout, in time to see the big Hollow on her back launching towards her. She jumped but her sword was cast aside. _Dammit, _she roared while she was landing on the floor. That was not over though, the small hollow darted onto her and she rolled and stood up, gasping and clutching her hand. Her eyes flinched towards her zanpakuto, they were in trouble, maybe she could … a sudden movement in the sky distracted her attention.

"Ichigo! Look up!" she yelled. The big Hollow was attacking him. She looked at her sword and at the small Hollow in front of her and cursed again, _I had to help him_. Suddenly she felt a great rise of reiatsu and fell on the floor. What was it? It came from Ichigo but it was different, it was powerful and great and…dark. She shivered looking up with caution and gasped. Ichigo had defeated the big one with one hand and was running towards the little one next to her, nothing new except that he didn't seem Ichigo… at all. She kneeled on the floor looking at him, at the Hollow that was him. _Kaien-dono._ She started trembling, images were racing into her mind. She didn't see that he smashed the little one in a second, she was only staring at him, at his mask, at his now black eyes full of hatred.

Was he talking to her? She couldn't tell, she stood up, her hands on her throat trying to breath. _Kaien-dono. _He took a step forwards…and she stepped back. She didn't recognize him and she didn't know if she wanted to. They were both still, looking at each other with caution.

Her friends were running towards them, she wanted to yell at them, to tell them to run, to go away but she couldn't, she could only look at the Hollow that was once … she didn't want to think about it, her whole body was trembling now.

"Ahh… Yes… yes, we are" She heard him answering while he turned to see them.

"Kurosaki-kun. Could you take that mask off? It's scaring me" Orihime asked nervously.

He led a hand to the mask and pulled back suddenly, Rukia flinched but there was Ichigo again, the permanent frown on his eyebrows, his voice always annoyed, the light in his amber eyes…

She felt Ishida's eyes onto her "How about you, Kuchiki-san, are you ok?"

_For God's sake, I'__m a Kuchiki, I can do better than this._ "Of course I am" she answered with her deep voice, thanks God it was not trembling.

She picked her sword slowly avoiding to look at them, at him. _Pull yourself together, _she ordered to herself, but she couldn't, not now.

"I go home. See you at school"

She left without a last look, trying to stop the images in her mind.

* * *

She knew immediately that she was dreaming. The same place, the same heavy weight over her lungs. She was running, somebody was following her through the dark of the forest. She passed the old trees where they used to train, hearing a rush over her back, a cold laugh behind her. She was terrified, for herself, for him. She could only keep running, painting, waiting the moment she had to face him, _not this time!_. Her zanpakuto was sliding of her sweaty hand, she tripped and fall onto the grass closing her eyes. _This time will be different, she lied to herself._ Then she heard a gasp, she didn't dare to open her eyes, a cold sweat on her face, a tighten grip over her throat, she couldn't breath. But she didn't cry, not this time, she opened slowly her eyes sure what she was going to see. She was covered by blood, his blood, the zanpakuto in her hands. His face was contorted by the pain, but his eyes were friendly, warm, he murmured at her, smiled… and then all changed, his eyes turned black, coal black meeting hers, a mask of hollow upon his face.

"AHHHHHH!" she gasped sitting on her bed, fully- dressed, tangled with the sheets. She looked around confused, a dim light was coming through the window, she was in Yuzu and Karin's bedroom, her bedroom. She curled up, her dry eyes wide open, her breath uneven, trying to warm herself up with her arms.

Last night she had waited, lost in thoughts on the roof of Ichigo's neighbours. She couldn't think properly, in fact she had wished not to think anymore. She remembered being cold, numb but she didn't want to get in. She had been peering into Ichigo's room wanting to see something different, something that told her that he had changed, something that forced her to act, but all was the same except she noticed that Ichigo was reading the same page of his book for the last half an hour. _Kaien-dono. _She had pressed her lips until they had turned white, her mind blank. At two o'clock he had turned the light off and had laid down on his bed, fully-dressed, the permanent frown on his face. She was not afraid of facing him, of course she wasn't, but… there was another feeling and she didn't want to feel, not tonight, not again.

She had closed her eyes tighten …

Now, she stood up silently and wrote a note for Yuzu, she needed air, _how comes it's so difficult to breath here?._ She was wandering trying to full her lungs but they hurt too much, without noticing she was running. _Take a grip on yourself, _an angry voice was yelling into her head. She stooped death when she arrived at school, painting, she rested her hands onto her knees. _What are you doing Kuchiki Rukia? You should be ashamed of your behaviour._

The image of her brother came to her mind. Byakuya Kuchiki, captain of the 6th division, leader of the Kuchiki clan. He always did what it was supposed to be done, his cold eyes never cared about anyone. At this thought she stood up, the heavy weight on her stomach was still there but now she could think, her mind was clearer. She needed to think before all fell upon her again. She didn't go to class and seated onto the grass, her back leaning against a tree, drawing mindlessly a pattern onto the floor with a finger.

It was all about Ichigo, she knew. And it was not only surprise, she knew it too, it was something else. She couldn't put words for her feelings, it was something old but not quite the same. Of course she knew there was a Hollow inside him but she didn't know how powerful it was, how Ichigo would change, what old feelings it would awake… _Kaien-dono. _She closed her eyes forcing the tears down her throat. _I am a Kuchiki, she reminded herself, I'm not human. I cannot let this stupid emotions get over me._She felt how the lace on her throat tightens as she took her choice. _This doesn't affect me, I just need to put some distance. I can do it. _And she knew which distance and with who.

* * *

She sighed resting her chin upon her knees. It was three o'clock in the morning, and she was again on the roof of Ichigo's neighbours. _Dammit._ She had not been able to do it. After her resolution, she had gone to class, but she hadn't been able of looking carelessly at him, in fact she hadn't been able of looking at him, dot. At last she had murmured him an excuse and had run away, again. _I'm so coward, _she yelled to herself, again hidden, waiting for him to sleep. _Ok, it affects me but I can make that it doesn't_. She had seen her brother doing this hundreds of times. His eyes vaguely interested, the cold smile onto his mouth, his carelessly voice, his chin raised. _But you are not your brother, _a little voice whispered into her ear. He closed her eyes and put both her hands onto her ears suppressing a shout, _Am I going crazy? STAY STILL!, she roared._

After a few minutes she calmed down and tried to swallow but the tight knot on her throat was still there. She opened her eyes and her hands dropped to the sides of her body. She entered into the house quietly…

"RUKIA!!"

"UAHHH" she suppressed a shout with both her hands. He was in front of her, his amber eyes in fury.

"Moron! You scared me, you… moron!" she groaned leaning towards him on tiptoe.

"Where were you? It's three o'clock in the morning! Baka!" she hadn't looked at him properly the whole day, he seemed…worried?

_STAY STILL! _"A couple of Hollows, nothing important" she said in a carelessly voice leading to the stairs, her back to him. She congratulated herself.

"Hollows? Why didn't you call me? I…"

"Not necessary. I'm a Shinigami, Ichigo. I can deal with it" her deep voice was calm, her chin raised. _I can do it._ She stepped once to the stairs and then slowly turned to him, her gaze at the floor, she cursed herself "I don't need…I don't want you to protect me Ichigo"

The words bursted out without thinking. The silence took her by surprise and feeling more secure she added. "Thank you for protecting me in the past but now I don't need you" she stared at him, her eyes vaguely interested, holding his, but her heart was racing when she went upstairs to her bedroom. "Good Night" she added with a cold smile.

She had done it! But she felt horrible. She had noticed his face. First, it was the worry, second, the surprise and at last an expression that she couldn't read. It was like she had slapped him, not that she wasn't use to hit him, but this time it was different. His amber eyes had told her when they met hers, something underneath them, something…cloudy.

She stopped upstairs to listen. She couldn't hear anything, like he was frozen, not usual for the noisy Ichigo. She didn't try to sleep, she knew she couldn't, his face was in her mind all night.

* * *

"Rukia-chan, are you ok?" Yuzu asked sweetly. "You look tired. Problems at school?"

She tried to lie, but stared into Yuzu's worried face "ehh, yes a bit… I'm a little tired lately"

"Of course, you almost don't sleep, have you seen your face?" Karin added opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle, she threw it carelessly into a basket. "Ugly nightmares, uhh?"

She flushed. When at last she had fallen sleep the nightmare had started again, a little different though. She had felt the angst and the pain again but she hadn't stabbed him. Every time she was about to do it Ichigo's face had come to her mind and the nightmare had started from the beginning, over and over again.

She didn't notice the rushed around her, nor did she notice Ichigo's father until he asked in his usual cherful voice "Third daughter, do you want to come with us?"

She winced noticing for a second Ichigo's eyes onto her face "No, sorry. I have to do lots of homework. Next time" she said with the fake high pitched voice she used at school. She was getting great pretending, she thought sadly.

"You scared her old man" Karin murmured

"Ohhh! Masaki why our children are so cruel with his poor old father??" he cried on the shoulder of Yuzu who patted his back patiently. "Ok. You can stay here with Ichigo. That boring soon of mine, I'm soooooo ashamed of him!!" he tried to punch Ichigo but he was faster and hit him with a saucer.

"Could YOU stop doing that? You will hurt yourself" he said scowling.

Rukia flinched, she had expected Ichigo to go with them. It was just her imagination or he was looking at her with caution? she hold his gaze and tighten her jaw, he frowned.

She saw Isshin hitting him and both of them arguing before they left, letting Ichigo and her alone. She stared at him, an odd silence between them. _It has never been this way with him._

She flinched at the thought, and at last she understood, she couldn't do that. There was only one thing she could do, to run away, she hated herself.

"I go upstairs" "lots of things to do" she murmured quickly going to her bedroom.

She didn't wait for an answer, his face was odd, his eyebrows frowned, her eyes full of a determination she had seen before but she didn't want to remember. _It hurts. _She winced, that was the first feeling that had reached her heart after a long time trying not to feel. And for the first time she didn't hate herself, she hated him.

Her hands were shaking when she opened Yuzu's closet and started stuffing things in a bag mindlessly. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth while trying to suppress a shout, while trying to swallow the tight knot of her throat.

"Are you going to let a note this time or it's not necessary?" she winced as she heard him on her back and slowly turned to face him, looking into his eyes now glowing with fire.

"I think… it's time to return, for me. As Aizen has not done anything recently…" she felt the cold smile onto her mouth, her chin raised and heard her voice far away, carelessly, she was doing it , but she noticed her fists were closing tightly.

"You mean apart of kidnapping Inoue and almost killing us a couple of weeks ago?" his voice was quiet, but she knew him better, he was restraining himself very hard.

"I'm of no use here. I will be more useful in Soul Society" she turned pretending to search into the closet. She had heard the bitterness of his voice and she knew she had to hurry. She hated his world, she hated him…. and she hated herself for doing this to him.

"Who are you protecting now? Me…or yourself?" his voice was now racing, fury in his words. She continued searching, she didn't want to listen. She felt her hands trembling, her eyes flickering, she couldn't breath, _how the hell I can never breath in this DAMN ROOM!_

With a roar of anger he grabbed her shoulders forcing her to look at him. He shook her shoulders softly. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON, RUKIA!! IF YOU DON'T TELL ME I CANNOT…"

"DON'T YOU DARE TO TOUCH ME!!" she shouted pushing him hard. He fell on the floor looking up into her eyes in surprise. She was rigid, trembling, her fists firmly closed, her face ghostly white, pure rage into her eyes.

"Ruk—"

"I wanted to do it the most softly possible" her voice was pure ice as she looked directly into his amber eyes. _I MUST DO IT, I MUST…LIE_ "You're dangerous, maybe you don't know it yet but it will be best for all that you don't…you don't go on". Her brother would be proud, cold voice, carelessly eyes … Then she looked down, he was staring at her, blankly, his eyes wide open… he looked as if she had stabbed him. _Kaien-dono_. She bit her tongue with force. She had done it, now everything will be easier, she was not going to feel pain anymore. She could swear it because she didn't feel anything at all, she felt numb. She won and… and he lost. She was choking now, the weight over her lungs was knocking her down.

He leant his back against the wall, scratching his head then he let his hand fell on the floor and closed his right fist once.

"It's ok" he murmured and paused "if you have decided…that I should stay behind…I think… it's ok" he looked up into her face.

She remembered not these words, but its meaning.He looked into Ichigo's face, she had never seen this face onto him. _Beaten?_ Ichigo could not be beaten. Her instinct told her to yell at him, to force him to fight, but what for?

He was now avoiding her gaze, looking down, at his closed fist, defeated. The pressure onto his throat and her lungs was unbearable. She felt tears coming to her eyes, her jaw clenched, both her hands onto her heart now breaking.

_Kaien-dono…Ichigo…Kaien-dono…Ka…Ichigo…Ichigo!_

And she could pretend no longer, before he could stand up, she fall on the top of him moaning.

"Please Ichigo, please… don't die, please" was she who was speaking? her voice was pleading. "Please Ichigo… please…." All her fears had come out finally. She felt him rigid under her body. Her hands were grabbing desperately his t-shirt. "Please Ichigo… please…. don't…don't make me kill you!" she cried loudly hiding her face against his chest.

She felt his body relaxing, his arms wrapping her waist and she listened him whispering into her ear "I promise Rukia, nobody will hurt you"

She felt the tighten lace disappear and the weight fading away as she felt the warm of his body and the strength of his arms around her. At last she loosened up until her eyes dry, until the light outside started to fade, until she fell sleep without nightmares into his arms.

_

* * *

__I'm exhausted! Rukia thinks too much! Which one do you prefer?_


End file.
